ALBION – One of the Village of Albion’s landmark trees, a beech at 48 North Main St. in front of KeyBank, was cut down on Sunday.

Here is how the site looked on Oct. 9, a day after KeyBank took over the former First Niagara location.

KeyBank employees have heard sorrow from customers all week, several employees said today.

The tree was diseased, with many dead branches that were a safety hazard to the public, one of the employees said today.

The tree’s takedown has been in the works for many months. First Niagara actually was supposed to have it removed, but that didn’t happen. KeyBank had it cut down on a Sunday when the bank wasn’t open.

Gary Kent, a member of the Albion Betterment Committee, has planted many trees on Main Street in recent years. He said the beech by the bank was one of the grandest in Albion.

“It burns me up,” Kent said about the tree’s removal. “It’s a serious loss for the downtown.”

The tree provided much needed “green” in the downtown, where there are few mature trees, Kent said.

KeyBank took over the site on Oct. 8, when the bank’s acquisition of the former First Niagara branches became official. The tree was identified for removal several months ago, a KeyBank employee in Albion said today.

Here is how the site looks today without the tree.

ALBION – Police officers and first responders from throughout Orleans County are welcome to a “Blue Mass” at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (Holy Family Parish).

The Albion Knights of Columbus Council 1330 is sponsoring this Mass, and encourages police officers, firefighters, medics, coroners, correctional officers and other first responders to attend.

“The Knights would like to take this opportunity to demonstrate their respect and gratitude for all that have and for those currently serving through the offering of this Mass,” said Greg Dugan, the grand knight. “In addition, we remember our fallen who have given their lives protecting us.”

The Knights of Columbus Color Corp and The Gates Keystone Club (Pipers and Drums) will be participating and the Rev. Richard Csizmar will serve as celebrant and homilist.

First responders are urged to arrive a half hour before the Mass and gather outside the church for a solemn processional inside St. Joseph’s on West Park Street.

Following the service there will be a reception at the top floor of the Lyceum next door.

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GAINES – Jim Babcock was roasted on Saturday during a benefit at Tillman’s Village Inn. About 100 people attended the event, which was a fund-raiser for The Salmon Children’s Foundation. That foundation has raised about $15,000 for Albion High School graduates in scholarships in memory of Nicholas Kovaleski.

This photo shows Phyl Contestable, “The Reverend Mother,” picking on Babcock, a local contractor and owner of Jim Babcock Construction. The Reverend Mother said Babcock was a handful for the nuns when he attended Catholic school in Albion.

Marcy Downey plays Ernestine, a telephone operator, during the roast of Babcock. Downey pretended to get a call from a motorist who discovered Babcock, who battles narcolepsy, asleep in his truck by the side of the road. Jim Salmon is at left. He served as host of the roast.

Steve Babcock shared some silly childhood stories of his brother to the delight of the crowd.

Amy Sidari took a turn roasting Babcock and showed a photo of Babcock dressed as a woman during a fund-raiser at the Cabaret at Studio B. Babcock has also portrayed Sony Bono in a variety show at the Cabaret.

Josie Waverly is dressed as Dolly Parton. Waverly performed a spoof of the Parton song, “9 to 5,” in describing a kitchen repair gone wrong.

Kelly Kovaleski, mother of the late Nicholas Kovaleski, said her son had a good sense of humor and would have enjoyed the roast of Babcock.

The Kovaleski family has launched the “Live With Purpose” organization to help high schoolers set goals, make positive choices and utilize their talents. Kelly and her husband Jay will debut their interactive workshop for the community at Holy Family Parish on Oct. 26 from 7 to 8 p.m. Click here for more information.

Nicholas Kovaleski was remarkably determined, even as a teenager, working towards his goals in football, swimming and tennis, and giving of himself by helping at home and through Boy Scouts. Nicholas adopted “Live with Purpose” as his motto when he was 11.

He was courageous in his fight against leukemia. Nicholas was just 15 when he died from the disease on June 29, 2011.

Babcock thanked the crowd and participants for the roast on Saturday.

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ALBION – Nancy Neri of Albion is led on to the football field at Bullard Park in Albion today by her grandson, Luqman Cornick. Neri served as honorary captain for the Albion varsity youth football game today. Her husband Scott is behind Luqman.

Neri has battled cancer the past four years. It started as breast cancer and spread to her brain.

The team, led by head coach Shawn Callicutt, wanted to recognize Neri for her many faithful years along the sideline, cheering on her grandson and other Albion youth football players.

The Albion and Roy-Hart captains shakes hands before the coin toss at their game this afternoon.

Nancy Neri shows the players the coin before the toss.

Neri flips the coin into the air before the varsity game today featuring mostly seventh- and eighth-graders.

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ALBION – Gavin Hughes, 5, of Medina paints a pumpkin at Hoag Library today as part of “Halloween Fun Day” at the library. Children were welcome to paint pumpkins, color Halloween masks and drink apple cider.

Gavin and his family stopped in Albion to see the new children’s playground at the elementary school, and then had fun at the library.

About 50 children painted pumpkins, which were donated by Panek’s Pumpkin Patch in Albion. Kirby Farms donated the apple cider.

These teens helped out at the event and then painted some pumpkins. They include, from left: Kirsten Struble, John McGuire III and Meghan McDonnell.

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ALBION – Volunteers from the Albion and Barre fire departments are spending several hours at the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School today, teaching students about fire prevention. The top photo shows Evan Love, a second grader in Mrs. Lisa Burlison’s class, aiming a fire hose at targets. Barre firefighter Brian Bentley provides some guidance for Evan.

Students spray water at targets. The house with the fake flames was built by Andrew Cheverie for his Eagle Scout project in 2014.

Misael Hernandez-Buzard, a second-grader, sprays water at the targets.

Andrew Cheverie leads students in another simulation. Students have to feel the door handle and door to see if they are hot. After they open the door, the students get low to move under the smoke.

One student quickly gets through the smoke simulator. Andrew Cheverie is in back.

Rob Conner, an Albion firefighter, discusses the ladder truck used by the Albion Fire Department.

Albion firefighter Beau Piskorowski tells pre-kindergartners about some of the gauges and equipment on a fire truck.

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ALBION – Elementary students at Albion are in a celebratory mood today because a new playground has opened. (It’s also Fire Prevention Week and students are getting a chance to spray water at targets and do other simulations.)

The new playground is in a farm theme. Students voted on three theme possibilities last year and the farm overwhelmingly defeated a woodlands theme and also a purple-and-white colored playground with a spaceship.

Albion also opened a new playground on the other side of the school two years ago. The playground that opened today has more equipment geared towards younger students, although some of the bigger equipment can be used by children up to age 12.

There are about 900 students in the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School in grades prekindergarten through 5. School leaders like having two playgrounds because one can easily become crowded.

Each class sent two representatives to cut a ribbon at the playground this morning. The elementary band also played “Old Macdonald Had a Farm” over the loud speaker.

Each class will get 15 minutes on the playground today. Both playgrounds at the elementary school are open to the community after school, and on weekends and holidays.

Students climb on boxes that look like hay bales. The playground has several climbing challenges and other equipment to help with balance and fitness.

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Jim Babcock

ALBION – Jim Babcock said he has thick skin and can handle the jokes coming Saturday, at his expense.

“They definitely have a lot to talk about with me,” Babcock said. “I think it will be a good time for everyone else, I don’t know about me.”

Babcock will be “roasted” during a benefit at Tillman’s Village Inn. Proceeds for the roast go to the The Salmon Children’s Foundation, which has directed nearly $15,000 to a scholarship for Albion students in memory of Nicholas Kovaleski.

The Foundation also supports other causes, including The Open Door Mission in Rochester, Camp Good Days, Holy Childhood in Rochester and other children fighting illnesses.

Jim Salmon of Barre is host of the roast, as well as a home repair clinic on WHAM 1180. Salmon works as a home inspector.

He started the roast last year with Doug Bower, an Albion plumber and guest on the Home Repair Clinic, the first target of an evening of jokes.

File photo by Tom Rivers: Doug Bower lets out a big laugh last Oct. 24 when he was roasted by Jim Salmon during a benefit at Tillman’s Village Inn. Bower, a plumber in Albion, is co-host of the WHAM Home Repair Clinic with Salmon. Saturday the roast will feature local contractor, Jim Babcock.

Babcock has worked as a local contractor for nearly 40 years. He has owned his own business, Jim Babcock Construction, since 1996.

He has appeared in variety shows at the Cabaret at Studio B run by Amy Sidari, and helped with the annual Hometown Christmas show to benefit the scholarship fund in memory of Nicholas Kovaleski.

Salmon said roasting Bower last October drew a capacity crowd to the Village Inn and proved a fun evening of entertainment. He said several people eagerly offered to help roast Babcock.

The public has already purchased 90 tickets for the Babcock roast and more are spots are available by calling the Village Inn at (585) 589-9151.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Salmon said. “Everyone agreed there is enough good material on Jimmy.”

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ALBION – The Albion boys varsity soccer team recognized three teachers and the middle school librarian as honorary captains during today’s home finale against Medina. The four all have battled breast cancer.

This photo shows from left: Jodi Shaffer, middle school librarian; senior Joe Madejski; Kelly Wadhams, elementary school teacher; senior Owen Foos (in back); Dawn Arnold, elementary school teacher; senior Donato Rosario; Kim Toombs, middle school teacher; and senior Nick Reed.

The Albion boys varsity soccer team is wearing pink socks for home games this month to highlight breast cancer awareness month.

The team also sold cookies with a pink ribbon design in the frosting, and pink ribbons to raise funds for breast cancer research during today’s home game. There were also informational displays at the field.

For game highlights, check Local Sports.

Photo courtesy of Bruce Landis: Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes in Albion and Holley has four full-time funeral directors, from left: Josh Mitchell, Scott Schmidt, Paula Fuller and David Mitchell.

ALBION – A local funeral home has been recognized with a national award for excellence and customer service.

Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes is one of 160 funeral homes in the country that will receive the “Pursuit of Excellence Award” from the National Funeral Directors Association, which represents about 10,000 funeral homes.

The award is presented by the association to funeral homes that have demonstrated a commitment to raising the bar on funeral service excellence by adhering to strict ethical and professional standards and providing outstanding service to families and communities.

“The staff of these funeral homes demonstrate their commitment to the highest professional and ethical standards every single day,” said NFDA President Bob Arrington. “They have truly earned this award and we are proud to count them as members of NFDA.”

To earn an NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award, a funeral home must demonstrate proficiency in key areas of funeral service, such as compliance with state and federal regulations; providing ongoing education and professional development opportunities for staff; offering outstanding programs and resources to bereaved families; maintaining an active level of involvement in the community; participating and actively serving in the funeral service profession; and promoting funeral home services through a variety of marketing, advertising and public relations programs.

Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes started in 1957, and has remained a locally owned business, donating many thousands of dollars to numerous local causes each year.

“Our staff all live and work in the communities we serve and we believe it is our obligation to not only be a part of those communities, but to give back to them as well,” said David Mitchell, who joined the funeral home in 1984, following his father, co-founder Rho Mitchell. “Whether giving back is in the form of volunteering time, talent or providing financial assistance, we all give back as we are grateful and proud to be part of the community.”

David’s son, Josh, is a third generation funeral director. He joined the family business in 2012. Josh, 26, also is a certified celebrant. He can officiate services for people who did not have an affiliation with a church. Josh sits down with family members of the deceased and he gives a eulogy at the funeral.

Josh also oversees the grounds at both Albion and Holley funeral homes. The Albion Betterment Committee recently presented Christopher Mitchell with a “Landscape Award” for the efforts to maintain flowers and keep up the high-profile sites.

“We try to make it feel cozy like a home,” Josh said. “It’s not a facility.”

Christopher Mitchell does about 180 funerals a year from its sites in Albion and Holley. All four funeral directors said they look forward to each day, working with their colleagues and members of the community.

Photo by Tom Rivers: The funeral directors at Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes are pictured this morning outside the funeral home on Route 31.

Scott Schmidt, Orleans County’s chief coroner, has worked at Christopher Mitchell since 1997. He said the staff are like a family. Schmidt said listening, empathy and understanding are the most crucial skills to the job.

“You have the ability to make someone’s worse day a little bit better,” he said.

Paula Fuller grew up in Macedon across the street from a funeral home. She said she wanted to be a funeral director since she was 12. She did a one-year internship with Christopher Mitchell and stayed after David Mitchell offered her a job in 1994.

“I liked Albion,” she said. “I met some really nice people. It’s a small town and it’s a nice place to raise a family.”

The funeral directors coordinate with local clergy, churches, cemeteries, military honor guards, media outlets, casket and vault companies, flower shops and other service providers to assist families.

David Mitchell said the funeral directors are committed to providing the best possible service. He wants to pursue the award of excellence annually through the National Funeral Directors Association.

“We’re very, very honored to receive this award,” he said. “It will keep us striving to serve our local families.”

The award will be presented in Philadelphia during the NFDA annual convention on Oct. 24.

For more on the National Funeral Directors Association, click here.

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Photo by Tom Rivers: This home on West State Street, behind the Post Office, is one of 43 houses in the Village of Albion considered a “zombie” property.

ALBION – The Village of Albion has been awarded a $75,000 state grant to address “zombie homes” – abandoned homes that are not maintained during prolonged foreclosure proceedings.

Albion has identified 43 zombie homes in the village, Code Enforcement Officer Ron Vendetti said today.

“We want them to be assets,” Vendetti said. “We will do anything we can to get people in these houses.”

The state funding will help Albion implement a plan for researching which bank owns the vacant houses, market the sites to prospective homeowners, provide financial counseling for potential homeowners, and pay for legal work to possibly acquire the houses through Albion’s local development corporation (LDC) and then seek requests for proposals (RFPs) for the sites.

“We are going to develop a template for how to deal with this,” Vendetti said.

The zombie houses have troubled Albion and communities in New York for nearly a decade.

State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced grants for $12.6 million to help  76 cities, towns, and villages across the state with “zombie homes.” The grants were awarded under the Zombie Remediation and Prevention Initiative, which the Office of the Attorney General established in July with funds drawn from the $3.2 billion settlement agreement with Morgan Stanley.

“Too many homeowners across New York are still struggling to rebuild their communities in the wake of the housing crisis caused by major banks,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “I’m proud that the funding obtained by my office’s settlement with Morgan Stanley will now help cities and towns across the state reverse the proliferation of zombie properties, which invite crime and threaten the value of surrounding homes. These grants will help rebuild, revitalize, and stabilize communities across the state.”

The money will address housing vacancy and blight by bolstering municipalities’ capacity for housing code enforcement, for tracking and monitoring vacant properties, and for legal enforcement capacity to ensure banks and mortgage companies comply with local and state law.

The initiative coincides with the June 2016 passage of the Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act, a bill that the Attorney General wrote.

Among other provisions, that law requires banks to register any properties abandoned by their owners with the Department of Financial Services and to maintain those properties during the foreclosure process, and not just once the process has been completed. Banks face significant fines for non-compliance.

The state will share the registry with localities and will run a toll-free hotline for individuals to report such properties. While accurate numbers have been hard to come by, Schneiderman’s office said it has been estimated, based on data released by Realty Trac in 2015, that there are some 16,000 zombie homes across the state.

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ALBION – “Mrs. Rosa the Scarecrow” is attached to a light pole on Main Street in Albion by the downtown clock.

Organizers of a first-time Scarecrow Fest in downtown Albion weren’t sure what to expect on Saturday when the the event kicked off. Kim Remley of Energize Albion and one of the event coordinators hoped for at least six scarecrows.

There are more than a dozen so far and participants can still enter by Oct. 15.

This scarecrow is decorated to highlight breast cancer awareness month.

Three dancing scarecrows are set up by the First Presbyterian Church of Albion.

Prizes will be awarded for cutest, scariest, funniest and most traditional scarecrows. Contest ballots will be available throughout the downtown shops. Ballot boxes will be located at Krantz Furniture and the Downtown Browsery.

Only one vote per person is permitted. The last day for voting is Oct. 26. Winners will be announced at “Beggar’s Night” on Oct. 28.

Kelsey and Ella Froman created this scarecrow.

This scarecrow is attached to the light pole in front of the Main Street lift bridge.

This scarecrow, named “Marge Simpson,” sits by Gurney’s Olde Coach Inn.

“Mateo” is a pleasant personality in the downtown.

Xpress Fitness made a scarecrow in workout clothes.

This pirate scarecrow is outside the Uptown Browsery and Pratt Works.

Grace and Casey Thompson made this scarecrow for the the contest.

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